Tag: Winter

Contrary to popular belief, concrete can be placed, finished and cured at any temperature, even sub-zero temperatures. You just have to take extra precautions. That’s because if you allow the concrete to freeze before it has cured, you face trouble.

First, a quick refresher course on concrete curing. Concrete transforms from a liquid to a solid material through a chemical reaction. The colder the temperature of concrete, the slower the speed of the reaction. In winter, your enemy is the clock. The concrete needs to harden as rapidly as possible to resist the pressures caused by water freezing within the concrete.

The bad news is that winter is a high-risk time for construction workers.

In the US in 2014, there were 42,480 workplace injuries and illnesses involving ice, sleet or snow that required at least one day away from work to recuperate. If you consider that winter lasts roughly four months (November through February), this means there were 10,620 injuries or illnesses a month, or 354 a day.

The good news is that many winter-related workplace injuries and illnesses can be prevented. Here are five steps you can take at your job sites to improve your winter safety performance.